Aboriginal Arts and Culture

Above all, Alert Bay is internationally renowned as a centre for aboriginal art and cultural attractions. The modern and impressive U'mista Cultural Centre is home to an incredible collection of potlatch regalia. The world's largest totem pole stands vigil over a massive Big House used by the 'Namgis peoples. A roadside First Nations' graveyard is filled with totem and memorial poles. And several art galleries showcase the work of contemporary Kwakwaka'wakw artists.

Festivals and Events

Alert Bay's festival season lasts all of one weekend in late July. The Alert Bay Seafest is a community celebration that dates back to the early 1980s. A parade, traditional canoe races, a salmon barbeque on the beach, dancing by the T'sasala Cultural Group, and the crowning of Mr. and Mrs. Seafest are part of the weekend's activities. Seafest is held in tandem with the Alert Bay Music Fest, a day-long event featuring local and off-island musicians. In June, the 'Namgis First Nation hosts an annual soccer tournament.

Land Activities

Explore Alert Bay on foot. Easy, level-ground hiking begins at the ferry dock and extends east and west along Front and Fir streets. Or get away from it all on a moderate four-hour beachfront circuit of Cormorant Island, accessible at all times except when the tide is high.

For a biking alternative, day and half-day bike rentals are available at the Bikes of the Bay division of Looking Good (88 Fir St), a hair salon and spa on the waterfront strip near the ferry dock. Alert Bay's oceanfront route is an easy, breezy joyride. Some serious leg power, however, is required to negotiate the hilly terrain elsewhere on the island. Whether hiking or biking, birdwatchers can expect to see numerous shorebirds. The Alert Bay Ecological Park above town is a unique ecosystem and favourite playground for eagles.

A set of public tennis courts are adjacent the Community Hall (185 Cedar St), and a vintage six-lane, five-pin bowling alley is also in the immediate neighborhood.

Water Activities

Giant humpbacks and pods of frisky Orcas make Alert Bay a prime departure point for whale-watching expeditions. The trips are also sure to include sightings of harbour seals, sea lions and all kinds of bird life.

Check in with the Visitor Centre and/or friendly harbourmaster, Eric Gregory, for tips on getting out on the water with a certified local guide or pleasure-craft operator. A few heritage fishing boats, moored in the marina, offer a glimpse back to an era when the bay was filled with seiners, gillnetters, and trollers. At the government wharf, pocket-size cruise ships such as the National Geographic Sea Lion periodically pull into Alert Bay and offload passengers for cultural tours. While there are no kayak rentals available in Alert Bay, many visitors bring their own for the 12.8km/8mi circumnavigation of Cormorant Island.

Wildlife Watching

While whales, birds and marine life are the most common sightings, a population of black and grizzly bears reside in the Knight Inlet area on the adjacent mainland coast. Based in Telegraph Cove, Tide Rip Tours heads out on 12-passenger expeditions from mid-May to Canadian Thanksgiving (mid-October) that involve a boating trip and a ride in a safari van. Cubs frolic with their parents in the spring, while the fall finds these 180kg/400lb giants hunting salmon in fast-running streams. Tide Rip's boat will stop in Alert Bay by arrangement and pick-up passengers for a minimal fee.

Fishing

There is enough fish in the sea to keep amateurs happy as they reel in their daily quotas. Talk to the pros down at the harbour for current updates on where the fish are biting, and be sure to visit the BC Government's webpage for fishing license information. Pink and sockeye salmon have traditionally been found in the waters around Plumper and Hanson islands east of Alert Bay. Donegal Head off the eastern point of Malcolm Island is known for chinook. The crabbing is good in local waters, and fresh-caught prawns are available for sale in the harbour from May to September.

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